Nearly 450 people in the West Midlands have died as a result of drugs in the past three years.

There were 469 deaths across the West Midlands met area as a result of drug poisoning between 2015 and 2017, up by 15% from 409 in 2012 to 2014.

National figures suggest the rising number of deaths is being caused by cocaine and fentanyl, a powerful opioid drug that may be being mixed with heroin causing accidental overdoses, with a rising number of deaths due to prescription drugs identified by the government as potentially addictive.

There were 225 deaths in Birmingham in 2015 to 2017, up from 191 in 2012 to 2014, while there were 54 deaths in Walsall, up from 38. Sandwell has seen the biggest rise in the number of deaths over the period, up by half from 26 in 2012 to 2014 to 39 in 2015 to 2017.

Of the deaths due to drug poisoning in the West Midlands, 335 were due to drug misuse, where the substance involved was a controlled drug, with numbers rising from 301 deaths in 2012 to 2014.

(Image: PA)

There were 3,756 deaths relating to drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2017, up from 3,744 in 2016 and the highest number seen in a year since records began in 1993.

Two-thirds of drug-related deaths were related to drug misuse, 2,503 in 2017, down from 2,596 in 2016.

Deaths involving cocaine and fentanyl continued to rise while deaths related to new psychoactive substances halved in 2017, from 123 to 61.

There were 106 deaths due to fentanyl or fentanyl analogues in 2017, compared to 59 in 2016, while the number of deaths due to cocaine rose from 371 to 432, according to figures published this morning by the Office for National Statistics.

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Fentanyl and its analogues have been found mixed with heroin, causing accidental overdose in users. Using evidence from similar patterns in the US and Canada, the National Crime Agency reason that the addition of fentanyls to heroin is possibly due to their cheaper cost and higher potency.

Public Health England issued a warning to heroin users and health officials regarding the contamination of heroin with potent synthetic opiates such as fentanyl. Carfentanyl, a synthetic opiate much more potent than fentanyl, was first seen mentioned in death certificates in 2017 and accounted for 27 deaths, that is, 87% of the 31 deaths related to fentanyl analogues in 2017.

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For cocaine, the National Crime Agency reports that crack cocaine purity has continued to rise for the fifth year and that purity at user level is at an all-time high, with little variance between wholesale and user level.

Other types of drugs also seeing the number of deaths caused at their highest levels since 1993, were cannabis, with 29 deaths, as well as zopiclone/zolpidem, 126 deaths, pregabalin, 136 deaths, and gabapentin, 60 deaths. The last three have been identified by the government as part of an on-going review into potentially addictive prescription drugs.

In 2017, there were 1,164 deaths involving heroin and morphine, a decline of 4% (45 deaths) and the first decline since 2012. The National Crime Agency reports that heroin purity levels have remained stable between 2016 and 2017.

The majority of deaths from drug poisoning or misuse in 2017 involved accidental poisoning, rather than mental and behavioural disorders, suicide (intentional poisoning or death from undetermined intent) or assault. In England and Wales, 74% of all drug poisonings (79% for males and 65% for females) and 80% of drug misuse deaths (83% for males and 72% for females) were attributed to this category.

Males’ mortality rate decreased from 91.4 deaths per 1 million population in 2016 to 89.6 in 2017, while the female rate increased for the eighth consecutive year to 42.9 deaths per 1 million population.

Ellie Osborn, Health Analysis Statistician, Office for National Statistics said: “The figures published today show that the level of drug poisoning deaths in 2017 remained stable.

“However, despite deaths from most opiates declining or remaining steady, deaths from fentanyl continued to rise, as did cocaine deaths, which increased for the sixth consecutive year."

"Our new in-depth study of coroners’ records report shows that there are common characteristics of drug-related deaths.

“These findings combined can be used to develop initiatives and policies that are targeted to support those at greatest risk of drug addiction.”

According to the ONS analysis of coroner’s reports, of the drug-related deaths in England that were sampled for the project, the attributes most commonly observed were white, single or divorced, living alone, unemployed, male, prior history of drug use, found having already died, and having a history of mental health issues.

This suggests a vulnerable, at-risk population engaging in unsafe drug-taking practices such as taking drugs alone and consuming multiple different types of drug alongside alcohol.